Parasite Fighter Program Displays

Three programs were undertaken in the late forties and early
fifties to exploit the capability of the B-36 Peacemaker to carry
and launch smaller airplanes. Initially, the idea was to provide
a fighter escort that could be released by the Peacemaker when it
was threatened by enemy fighters. Later programs aimed at
extending the range of a fast reconnaissance or nuclear warhead
delivery airplane.

In
1948 and 1949, a pair of McDonnell XF-85
Goblins were test flown from a Boeing EB-29B.

From 1952 to 1956, the Fighter Conveyer
(FICON) program investigated the potential of carrying
various models of the Republic F-84 in the bomb bay of a
Peacemaker.

In 1955 and
1956 Project Tom-Tom explored an
alternative method of attaching a Republic RF-84F Thunderflash to
each wingtip of a Peacemaker.

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eBook editions of Flying Aircraft Carriers of the USAF

My books in the Flying Aircraft Carriers of the USAF series are now available as eBooks, at a considerably reduced price compared to the print editions. Following World War II, the US Air Force was faced with the need to extend the range of fighter escorts for bomber airplanes. Several programs explored the feasibility of carrying, launching, and retrieving jet fighters from Convair B-36 bombers.

In 1948 and 1949, the Air Force tested the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin, which was intended to fit inside the bomb bay of the B-36, in a series of launches from a modified Boeing B-29 Superfortress.

From 1949 to 1956, the Air Force explored wing tip coupling, attaching smaller airplanes to the wing tips of larger airplanes, first with a Culver PQ-14 coupled to a Douglas C-47 Skytrain, then with a pair of Republic F-84E Thunderjets coupled to a Boeing B-29 Superfortress, and concluding with tests of Republic RF-84F Thunderflashes coupled to the wing tip of a Convair B-36.

From 1952 to 1956, Project FICON (Fighter Conveyer) evaluated carrying Republic F-84s partially enclosed in the bomb bay of a B-36, concluding with the establishment of squadrons of modified Republic RF-84F Thunderflashes and Convair B-36s in Washington State.

Each volume is profusely illustrated with vintage photographs and diagrams. They can be dowloaded directly from Lulu.com.

Wing Tip Coupling

2015 calendar

You can buy a 2015 calendar
featuring photographs of Air Force projects investigating the coupling of smaller airplanes to larger airplanes' wing tips.

In the early years of the cold war, the US Air Force attempted to increase the range of airplanes by carrying fuel in hinged wing panels that supported themselves attached to their wing tips. The initial tests used a piloted light plane to simulate the hinged panels. Soon the scope of the experiments expanded to include towing a pair of jet fighters on the wing tips of a giant bomber. Photo sources: Bud Anderson, Air Force, General Dynamics, Lockheed-Martin:

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Books about the Convair B-36 from Amazon.com

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Dueling CD-ROMs

The history of the efforts to preserve B-36J, 52-22827 at Fort Worth is well documented in "B-36: Saving the Last Peacemaker"; Second Edition, an html book on CD. This CD-ROM is viewed with your internet browser.

B-36: Moving the Last Peacemaker. These 875 photos show photographically the effort expended by all of the volunteers over a nine year period to save the aircraft. This CD-ROM is a self contained slide show that does not require a browser to view.